Boot or shoe form



1532.044" June 1927 A. SCHOSHUSEN 'Boo'r 0R SHOE FORM Filed March 31. I921 Patented June 14, 1927.

- UNITED STATES PATENT .olFFlc v ARTHUR SCHOSH'USEN, OF WEST SOMEBVILL E, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT on SHOE Form.

Applicationfiled March 31, 1921. 1serig1n 4 5a17s.

The present invention relates to forms for vboots and shoes, and aims to provide an improved type of adjustable construction, conveniently adapted for neat fitting engagement inside theboot or shoe.

Accordingly, one of the objects in view is to devise an improved shoe form arrangement and construction comprising toe and heel portions, with the toe portion of the form composed of toe sections so connected as to permit separate and independent move:

ment of said sections laterally and angularly with reference to each other for fitting inside the toe portion of the shoe.

It'is further sought to provide an improved form of construction of this type in which a (:onnection is made between the heel and toe portions of the formwhereby a posi ti ve length adjustment of the form'isafptorded. j i in A further feature of the construction is an improved type of flexible spring connection between theto'e sections ofthe form, characterized byfa novel mode of securing said connecting element to the toe sections.

It; is further sought to devise a novel and impilqoved shoe form of this general type in whichthe toe sectionsof'the form are cornbined with an instep portion also of sectionalilorm and each toe section being com? bined with a part of the instep portiQn.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will n'owbe described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical form of: embodiment of theimprovements, after which the particular features o't novelty therein will be pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing aboot or shoe iorm embodying the present features of improvement, the broken linesrep resenting the heel portion of the form elevated with reference to the toe portion;

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the form, with a portion of one of the toe sections broken away to show the manrier in which the spring element heremafterreferred to is secured, tothe tpe. sections, the broken lines in' said View also representing altered positions of the toe sect ons when shifted to secure an angular adjustment of said sections as required by a di'iferent shape of shoe. I Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detail sections taken on the lines III-III, IV--IV, and VV,i res ectively, of Figure 1; j

' lgure 6 side elevation illustrating. the toe portion of the form as adapted for pumps or slippers; and i lgure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing; on; an enlarged scale," a modified form of connection between the-toe and tegral with-one halfof the instep portion 1 10, and the latter, projecting upwardly and rearwardly relatively to said. toe portion, asshow n in Figure l. The toe xsections9 are provided with an improved arrangement.

and construction of connecting. means adapt ed to permit separate and independent movement of said sections. 9.hoth. laterally and angularly with referencentoeach other for fitting within the toe portion ofthe 1 shoe an altered position of said sections 9,

due to such, an adjustment being represented in the broken lines inrF igu re 2. This 'Qllnectmg IH 1n the first place, comprises a flexible coil spring 11 having the oppositeends thereof embedded within recesses 12" formed in the opposedfacesofthe toe sections,9, and each, recess 12-.b'eing fitted with ashort sleeve element 13 extending some-' self-adjusting function, as regards the lengthi whatshort ofthebottom of the corresponding recess 12, thereby permitting the opposite ends of the spring member illto be threaded or screwedinto the sleeves 13 to the bottoms of the recesses 12 where the ends of. the spring may then slightly expand into retaining engagement with the inner ends of the sleeves 13, as clearly illustrated in Fig ure 4:. This unique constructionprovides a secure retannng means .for the ends of the spring element 11, and at the same time ermits all of the relative movements required of the forward ends of the toe sections 9 asa'ffordedby, the fiexible and yielding character of this spring connection 11.

At the rear of. thespring 'elementll the opposed faces of the toe sections 9 are formed with mating recesses 1 1- for accommodating the opposite end portions of a curved or approximately horseshoe-shaped spring member 15, the ends of which are pivotally connected by means of screws 16 to the respective toe sections 9, suitable bear ing washers 17 being interposed between the spring terminals and the toesection s at the pivot screws 16, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5. By this means therequisite expanding function is exerted between the rear end portions of the toe sections 9, and all relative movement necessary is permitted the toe sections for accommodating themselves both laterally and angularly within the shoe for properly fitting the interior of the toe portion thereof. For suitably limiting the said lateral or expanding movement of the toe sections at the rear ends thereof, a link 18 is mounted within grooves 19 formed in the instep portions 10 of the form and with in the upper portions of said recesses 14, as shown in Figures 2' and El, and secured to said instep portions 10 by means of screws 20. One of the screws 20 slidingly engages a slot 21 in the link 18, whereby a limited degree of relative lateral movementis permitted the toe sections as determined by the length of said slot 21.

The mid-portion of the spring member 15 is secured by clamping nuts 22 to the forward end of a turnbuckle con11cc tion whereby the toe and the heel 'portions of the form are adjustably secured:

as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

together, This turnbuckle connection comprises a pair of rod sections 23, adjustably connected by means of a turnbuckle nut member 24-, the forward rod member 23 being secured to the spring member 15 as already stated, while the rear rod member preferably threaded into the heel portion 8 of the form, as shown in Figure 1. The middle portion of the turnbuckle member 2% is provided with suitable openings 25 for the application of a pointed instrument for the purpose of rotating the element 24 in either direction as required for the forms adjustment.

The construction which has been described above, including the instep portion 10, is that type of construction adapted for ordinaryhigh or low top shoes or oxfords, while for pumps or slippers the type of construction illustrated in Figure (5 is preferable, wherein the instep portion 10 is omitted, the rest of the form remaining substantially unchanged.

In Figure 7 I illustrate a modified form of connection between the toe and heel portions of the form, the same constituting a certain improvement over the form of connection covered by my co-pending applica tion Ser. #317,388, filed August 18, 1919, patented July 26, 1921, 1,385,719. As illustrated herein, this connection comprises a form to adjust itself neatly rod 27 connected to the midportion of the spring member 15 in the same way as the turnbuckle rod 23, and the other end of the rod 27 being slidingly or telescopingly mounted within a sleeve 28 adapted to be connected withthe heel portion 8 of the form in the place of the rear turnbuckle rod 23. The forward end of the sleeve 28 is shrunk to provide a retaining lip or shoulder 29 adapted for retaining engagement with the head portion 30 on the rear end of the rod 27. A somewhat larger sleeve or tube 31 is provided for telescoping over the tube or sleeve 28, as Well as over a coil spring 32 of substantially the same diamet r as the sleeve 28 and interposed between the forward end of the latter and a retaining lip or inturned flange 33 formed upon the forward end of said tube or sleeve 31, whereby the said spring 32 is nniintained constantly concealed within the outer tube or sleeve 31. By this construction, the toe and heel portions of the form are automatically separated into self-adjusting relation conforming to the length of the shoe into which the form is fitted, in the same manner as characterizes the device shown in said co-pending ap lication, the present construction having al of the advantages of my earlier type of form, with the added advantages of neater and more compactness of construction, and including the sleeve member which shields and conceals the spring element 32 in all positions of adjustment of the device.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a neat, simple and practical form construction which fulfills all the desired objects of the invention,- the same be ing automatically or self-adjusting for accommodating the parts thereof to fit or fill out all the parts of the toe and instep of the shoe, which it accomplishes by expanding forwardly and laterally into engagement with the shoe upper on all sides, in response to the action of the spring elements 11 and 15. The turnbuckle form of connection between the heel and toe portion of the form affords provision for an initial positive adjustment for gauging the length of the forn'i to approximately that of the boot or shoe in advance, after which the form auton'iatically adjusts itself to the interior of the boot or shoe without any need of further manual adjustment. 1 The provision of the sectional toe structure with the form of connections shown enables the and accurately to various styles of toes, such as wide or narrow or pointed toes, as will be obvious by reference to Figure 2.

While I have herein shown and described what 1 now regard as the preferred form of construction for embodying the proposed nnproveinents, I wish to be understood as reserving the right to make such formal changes or modifications as mayfairly fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A shoe form comprising a toe portion, and a heel portion, a telescoping rod and tube connecting said toe and heel portions, a coil spring fitted over said rod and abutting against said tube, and a second tube enclosing said coil spring and overlapping one end of said first tube.

2. A shoe form comprising a sectional toe portion and a heel portion,.the toe sections of the form being formed with cylindrical mating recesses each fitted with a sleeve extending somewhat short of the base of the recess, a flexible coil spring having the opposite ends thereof extending throughsaid sleeves and into retaining engagement with the inner ends thereof, and a connection be tween said toe sections and the heel portion of the form. v

A shoe form comprising a pair of toe sections and a heel section, an approximately horsehoe-shaped spring having its ends pivotally connected with said toe sections,

and a longitudinally adjustable member l1&V-

ing one end connected to said heel section and its other end secured to the midpoint of said spring.

4. A shoe form comprising a pair of toe sections and a heel section, an approximately horseshoe-shaped spring having its ends pivotally connected with said toe sections, and a springractuated longitudinally expansible member having one end connected with said heel section. and its other end secured to the midpoint of said spring. 7

5. A shoe form comprising a toe portion,

ternal flange engaging one end of said,

spring, the other end of said second tube fitting telescopicallyover one end of said first tube.

In Witness whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ARTHUR soHosHUsEN. 

